The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-12-15
RULE OF THE MAJORITY.

ceived upon the wool he produced and
sold. "''
RULE OF THE MAJORITY.
When the number of farmers enao.,
in wool raising is compared with al 7 49,
farmers in the country, and the small nrn
portion they hear to our population =
considered, when it is made apnarort
that, in the case of a large part Of those
who W sheep, the benefit of the pres
ent tariff on wool is illusory; and, above
all, when it must be considered that tho
increase Of the cost of living caused hy,
such tariff becomes a burden upon thoco
with moderate means and the poor tbo
employed and unemployed, the sick and
well, and the young and old, and that if
constitute a tax which, with relentless
grasp, is fastened upon the clothing Of
every man, woman and child in the land
reasons are suggested why the removal or
reduction Of this duty should be included
in a revision of our tariff laws.
In speaking of the increased cost to the
Of our home manufactures re-
sulting from a duty laid upon imported
articles Of the same description, the fact
is not overlooked that competition amono
our domestic producers sometimes has
the effect of keeping the price of their
products below the highest limit allowed
by such duty.
" FOUR THOUSAND DUTIABLE ARTICLES.
Under our present laws more than fopr
thousand articles are subject to duty
Many of these do not in any way com.
pete with our own manufactures, and
many are hardly worth attention as sub
iects of revenue. A considerable reduc-
ton can be made in the aggregate by
adding them to the free list. The taxa
ton of luxuries presents no features Of
hardship; but the necessaries of life used
and consumed by all the people, the duty
upon which adds to the cost of living in
every home, should be greatly cheapened.
The radical reduction of
THE DUTIES IMPOSED UPoN RAW MATERIAL
and in manufactures, or it's free importa-
ton, is, of course, al important factor in
| any effort to reduce the price of these
necessaries; it would not only relieve
| them from the increased cost caused bv
the tariff on such material, but the manu-
featured product being thus cheapened,
that part of the tariff now laid upon pro-
duct, as a compensation to our manufac-
turers for the present price of raw mate
rial, could be accordingly modified. Such
reduction, or free importation, would
serve beside to largely reduce the revenue.
1t is not apparent how such a change can
have any injurious effect upon our manu-
features. On the contrary, it would ap-
pear to give them a better chance in
foreign markets with manufacturers of
other countries, who cheaper their wares
by free material. Thus our people might
have the opportunity of extending their
sales beyond the limits of home consump-
tion-saving them from the depression,
interruption in business and loss caused
by a glutted domestic market, and afford
ing their employees more certain and
| steady labor, with it's resulting quiet and
contentment.
The question thus imperatively pre-
sented for solution should be approached
A SPIRIT HIGHER THAN PARTISANSHlP
and considered in the light of that regard
for patriotic duty which should character
ize the action of those intrusted with the
veal Of a confding people. But the obi
cation to declared party policy and prln-,
ciple is not wanting to urge prompt and
effective action. Both of the great polltl-
cal parties now represented in the Govern
ment have, by repeated and authoritative
declarations, condemned the condition OF
our laws which permit the collection from
the people of unnecessary revenue, and
have, in the most solemn manner, promised
it's correction; and neither as citizens or
partisans are our c~Ountrymen IN a MOOD
to condone the deliberate violation OF
these pledges.
NO BANDYING OF EPITHETs
Our progress toward a wise conclusion
will not be improved by dwelling upon
the theories of Protection and Free
Trade. This savors too much of handy
ing epithets. 1t is a condition which con-
fronts us-not a theory. Relief from
this condition may involve a slight reduc,
ton of the advantages which we award
our home productions, but the entire
withdrawal of such advantages should
not be contemplated. The question OF
Free Trade is absolutely irrelevant; and
the persistent claim made in certain quar-
tiers, that all efforts to relieve the people
from unjust and unnecessary taxation are
schemes of so-called free traders, is mis-
chievous and far removed from any con-
sideration for the public good.
THE SIMPLE AND PLAIN DUTY
which we wv the people is to reduce
taxation to the necessary expenses OF all
economical operation of the Government,
and to restore to the business or the
country the money which we hold in the
Treasury through the perversion OF gov
ernmental powers. These things can anu
should be done with safety to all our IN